[Suggestion] Do Not Release The Server ! Instead...

So true !

When I was a college student, I had nearly only cracked games and saying to myself : if I play regularly to this game I'll buy it, but I (almost) never done that...

I also remember my college LAN parties when the games was freely available on a local FTP server. We was all able to play to each game. Today, about once a year I still go to some LAN party, but most of actual games does not allow local multiplayer anymore. On about 100 people only few have the same game (most game have less that 10 owners), it's very limiting...

Finally, the most played games in these LAN are F2P games or old games...

So I really hope with these new kickstarted DRM free games to be able to have very fun LAN again.

I hope that services like auto-update, ranked system, galactic wars and so is the solution.

PS: today, I have no pirated games any more.

sorry ld dr - or more specifically tl too drunk, but I'm here because I played TA ten years go
(actually slightly longer), I want PA to have the same longevity, that means releasing the server so I can still play in 10 years with my own resources, I don't want my play experience to be based off a software companies cash flow in ten years time, you people are not adobe...

I do think though if you play on Uber's server with a pirated version they should insert a code that makes the commander a giant chicken and encourages all players to kill it for a set period of bonus metal whilst highlighting it's location. Because I think we paid for the idea to be made Uber has delivered and is constantly improving the idea. It's DRM free but if you want to play officially you should play by the rules. If you don't then it's only the mod games for you

DRM-free do not mean that random people can play on official servers without paying for game. If you want to use Uber multiplayer lobby/servers you need to buy this game.

I presume Uber will also have something similar to Valve's VAC available for server owners, so if they want to support Uber by disallowing pirated connections, they can.

There will be just no way to connect pirated version to any online multuplayer server because by default you need to have UberNet account to play on server. And server software by default "ask" master-server to check user creditials. It's done like that in many multiplayers games.

But yeah, when you got access to server binary you can remove/disable this protection, but some games ban servers from master list if they allow pirated copies. Actually Valve seems to be okay about it and I never seen any server removed from their master-lists because of that.

Yeah, there will be LAN, but usually LAN games doesn't listed in official server lists, so it's other question. LAN it's where DRM-free is important, there won't be any protection or limitation, but I consider it's as a good thing because I love LAN parties with friends.

It was discovered by people who created a pirated way to play SimCity that the only thing the EA server are used for is save games, all the simulation is done on the client.

Only viable solution IMO that won't hurt those who pay in any way: A license check that only occurs if you try and play online -- if you're playing online, you have an internet connection. A bad license flags the client for ALL games, local/lan/online, and makes it sure to check again when possible (in case of bad check).

If at any point Uber wants to disable this, I'm sure that would be a simple patch down the road.

Moving more towards the 'questionable' category, you could have it perform random license checks: If there is no internet, it doesn't do anything. If there is internet and it fails the check, same flag as above.

Now what happens if the client gets flagged? Start introducing random bugs, random asteroid strikes, random nukes on the offending player. 'Pirate' their economy. Etc.

As much as I enjoy digging my own grave, this discussion is getting very stupid very fast. The point of DRM is not to chase after invisible bogeymen and imagined losses. It's to protect the producer against legitimate, empirically verifiable financial damage.

In this case, Uber suffers ongoing costs to run servers (beefy servers at that), keep a community system going, and to perform tech support. It makes sense that a pirated copy of the game should not have access to these services. The solution is as simple as setting up an account and requiring the user to log in. The problem gets solved on Uber's side, and at no point was a client side DRM required.

Now, if you're the company that produces and sells DRM, of course you're going to want it in any and every piece of software under the sun. However, their excellent marketing department does not change how the real market works. If you are a monopoly, you can do anything you want and never lose. But a small, competitive business succeeds by giving more than their competition. It's ugly, it's ruthless, and that's how capitalism is supposed to work.

The idea that developers spend any time on people who illegally download their game seems to be extremely stupid for me.

May be true for some.

I remember the first time I pirated a game.

It was immediately after I went and bought a release version of C&C Generals only to find that it refused to play on my PC due to copy-protection.

So many unfulfilled promises from publishers so I prefer to try before I buy.

The moment that I can get a refund for a game simply because I "didn't like it" is the moment I'll stop "pirating" any games.

I only wish that I'd done it with more games. I'd have saved myself hundreds that I've spent on terrible games that I bought but then didn't play.

But seeing as I'm a pre-order backer here, it just goes to show that I trust you'll provide the best experience possible.

Did you know in red alert 2, all units exploded 2 seconds into game if it detected a bad serial?

I know because my game was glitched like that, i had to manually reset the serial in the regedit.

Would doing that in this game be a nod at westwood?

lol is this why its happened?! Jesus since i was a child i couldn't get past the "red revolution", the last soviet mission (it was like "good luck commander, end of briefing, and then BAZINGA!, no units for you) and i still only play skirmish on my old computer, can you pm me how you solved it?

Why is this thread discussing DRM?

At least 100$ of my donation was because I was promised not having to deal with any DRM.

None, period.

This.

Although piracy can cause an unquantifiable harm to games, far more damage has been done in the name of preventing it.